The Most Wonderful Girl He's Ever Met
by soda-cola-pop
Summary: Slightly AU: Gazing at the nightsky makes one ask another a question and he gives her an answer she has not expected.


**Disclaimer: **Sony and SquareSoft's FF7 characters were used in this story for non-profitable purposes. No infringement intended.

Disclaimer 2: The story below _does not_ belong to me. It was originally written in Filipino/Tagalog, I translated it to English and changed the names so that those who wish to read it could relate to the story better. Again, no infringement intended. 

**The Most Wonderful Girl He'd Ever Met**

_"She loved me, and sometimes I loved her too._

_How could one not have loved her great still eyes."_

"Do you know Pablo Neruda's poem?"

"Yeah. Is it 'tonight I write the saddest lines'? Why?"

"It's about the line "_Love is so short, forgetting is so long."_ I wrote a poem before using the exact lines. Even before I read Pablo Neruda's poem."

"Maybe you're his reincarnation? You both have the same nose."

You didn't notice me as I stole a glance at you and smiled. There was something about your semi-charmed smile and yes, as Neruda put it, the stillness in you eyes that just gets me. Why is it that I never saw it before? You were just staring off into the distance, not speaking. You were obviously thinking about something else or someone else for that matter. But you were holding my hand. Somehow, it just felt right. And then, out of the blue, I thought of asking you something.

"Hey, who's the most wonderful girl you've ever met?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Who's the most wonderful girl for you?"

_Me. It should be, right? Because you're supposed to be in love with me. After all, whenever we walk, you hold me by my waist, you accompany me to my classes, you drive me home, we go out, we hang out, we look at the sky while I lie on your lap. Sometimes, you even kiss my hair._

"Aeris."

_Wait. Did I hear you right? Aeris? Aeris? Aeris? Shit. It's still Aeris? But, you're holding my hand! I'm the one with you now. I should be the one, right?  Hey, speak up. Don't just stare at the sky. You have to explain your answer to me._

"Aeris?"

"Of course! Isn't it obvious?" You asked me again, looking at me.

_Yes, it's not obvious! Because, fuck, it's my hand you're holding. My eyes you gaze into. My lips you kiss. I'm the one sitting beside you now while gazing at the stars. Me, me, me. Not Aeris. Why do you have to be that dense._

"Come to think of it... Why didn't I think of that?"

Once again, my gaze settled on the heavens. I suddenly lost enthusiasm. Shit. I knew it, I knew I was wrong again. I knew I shouldn't have hoped. As always, _I'm out of vogue, I'm out of touch. I fell to fast and I feel too much.*_

"You still love Aeris? It's almost three years..." 

"Not anymore."

_You don't love her anymore, but she's still "the most wonderful girl you've never met." Amazing._

I wonder, what am I to you? I looked at your hand which was holding mine and shook my head. It's didn't feel right anymore. I waited for a few minutes, letting my feelings of jealousy subside. My chest hurt. But, I can't cry or get up from your lap where I was lying. I took a deep breath and raised our clasped hands, so the two of us can see it. 

"Cloud, what's this?"

And I showed you the image of our hands holding each other.

"What's what?"

This. Why are you holding my hand when it's Aeris you're thinking of?

"Why are you doing everything you're doing?"

"I don't understand."

_Fuck! Why do you hold me by the waist, accompany me to my classes, drive me home, go out with ME, hang out with ME, look up at the sky beside ME, and kiss MY hair? Why? Why?!_

"Why do you like being with me?"

"Nothing..."

_Nothing? Fuck, NOTHING?!?_

"...I just enjoy your company, I guess."

I showed you our clasped hands again.

"Shouldn't this mean anything?

"Huh? What are you saying? I can't understand you."

You put down our hands and, once more, stared off into the distance, quiet. I suddenly realize what I am to you. A rebound girl. You only notice me and pay attention to me because I'm here. You drive me home because you have no one else to drive home. You kiss me because you have no one else to kiss.

I freed my hands from yours. I thought that you didn't have any right to hold my hand. But what would that mean to you? Nothing. You wouldn't even notice me doing that. Even if I cry, you wouldn't do anything. Even though I'll walk out on you, you wouldn't run after me. Even if I leave your life, you wouldn't cry. Maybe, you'd be saddened, but you wouldn't cry. There's someone else in your heart anyway. And I can't blame you. After all, you once said, "_Love is so short, forgetting is so long.__"_

Don't worry. You'll eventually get over and forget her. And you, well, maybe I'll also forget you.

 ###############  
_*Insensitive from Jann Arden_

[Original Version]

**The Most Wonderful Girl He'd Ever Met****  
**_"She loved me, and sometimes I loved her too._  
_How could one not have loved her great still eyes."_

"Alam mo yung poem na yun ni Pablo Neruda?"   
  
"Oo. 'Tonight I write the saddest lines' yun di ba? Bakit?"   
  
"Yung kasing line na _"Love is short, forgetting is so long."_ I wrote a poem before na gamit yung exact lines na yun. Even before nabasa ko yung poem ni Pablo Neruda." 

"Baka reincarnation ka niya? Parehas naman kayong matangos yung ilong." 

Hindi mo napansing nagnakaw ako ng tingin sa iyo at napangiti. There was something about your semi-charmed smile and yes, as Neruda put it, the stillness in your eyes that just gets me. Bakit kaya di ko nakita yun before? Nakatingin ka lang sa malayo, hindi nagsasalita. You were obviously thinking about something else or someone else for that matter. Pero hawak-hawak mo yung kamay ko. Somehow, it just felt right. Tapos, wala lang, out of the blue naisip kitang tanungin. 

"Tsong, who's the most wonderful girl you've ever met?" 

"Tinatanong pa ba yan?" 

"Sino nga?" 

_Ako. Dapat lang di ba? Because you're supposed to be in love with me. After all, pag naglalakad tayo hinahawakan mo ako by the waist, sinasabayan mo ako sa paglalakad papunta sa class ko, hinahatid mo ako sa bahay, lumalabas tayo, tumatambay, tumitingin sa langit habang nakahiga ako sa lap mo. Minsan hinahalikan mo pa nga yung buhok ko e._

"Si April." 

_Teka. Tama ba yung nadinig ko? Si April? Si April? Si April?! Tang-ina. Si April pa rin? Pero, hawak-hawak mo yung kamay ko! Ako ang kasama mo ngayon. Di ba dapat ako na yun? Hoy, magsalita ka. Huwag kang tumitig-titig diyan sa langit. I-explain mo yung sagot mo._

"Si April?" 

"Oo! Tinatanong pa ba yun?" Tanong mo ulit sabay tingin sa akin. 

_Oo! Tinatanong yun! Kasi pucha, kamay ko ang hawak mo. Mata ko ang tinitignan mo. Ako ang hinahalikan mo. Ako ang katabi mo ngayon sa Sunken Garden na tumitingin sa bituin. Ako, ako, ako. Hindi na si April. Kundi ka ba naman dense._

"Sabagay. Ba't di ko ba naisip yun?" 

Bumalik ang tingin ko sa langit. Nawalan ako ng gana. Shit. Sabi ko na nga ba mali na naman ako. Sabi ko na nga ba hindi na dapat ako umasa. As always, _I'm out of vogue, I'm out of touch. I fell too fast and I feel too much.*_

"Mahal mo pa rin ba si April? Magtatatlong taon na yun a." 

"Hindi na." 

_Hindi na nga, pero siya pa rin ang "the most wonderful girl you've ever met." Astig._

Ano kaya ko sa yo? Pampalipas oras? Tinignan ko yung kamay mong hawak yung kamay ko at napailing. Parang hindi na yata tama. Naghintay ako ng ilang mga minuto para palipasin yung biglang bugso ng selos na naramdaman ko. Sumisikip na yung dibdib ko. Pero, di ko makayanan umiyak o bumangon sa pagkakahiga. Huminga ako ng malalim at tinaas yung kamay natin para makita natin parehas. 

"James, ano 'to?" 

At ipinakita ko sayo ang image ng mga kamay nating magkahawak. 

"Alin?" 

Ito. Bakit hawak mo ang kamay ko pero si April ang nasa isip mo? 

"Ba't mo ginagawa lahat ng ginagawa mo?" 

"Hindi ko naiintindihan." 

_Tanga! Bakit mo ko hinahawakan sa waist, sinasabayan sa paglalakad papunta sa klase, hinahatid sa bahay, lumalabas kasama AKO, tumatambay kasama AKO, tumitingin sa langit habang nakahigang katabi AKO at hinalikan ang buhok KO? Bakit? Bakit?!_

"Bakit mong napagtri-tripan makasama ako palagi?" 

"Wala…" 

_Wala? Putang-ina. WALA?!? _

"...I just enjoy your company, I guess." 

Ipinakita ko ulit sayo ang imahe ng kamay nating magkahawak. 

"Shouldn't this mean anything?" 

"Huh? Anlabo mo. Hindi ko naiintindihan." 

Ibinaba mo yung kamay natin at tumingin ulit sa malayo, hindi nagsasalita. At bigla kong na-realize kung ano ako sa yo. Isang rebound girl. Isa akong pinagtutuunan ng pansin dahil nandiyan lang. Hinahatid dahil walang ibang mahatid. Hinahalikan dahil walang ibang mahalikan. 

Tinanggal ko ang kamay ko sa pagkakahawak ng kamay mo. Naisip kong wala kang karapatang hawakan ang kamay ko. Pero ano naman sa iyo yun? Wala. Ni hindi mo nga napansing ginawa ko yun e. Umiyak man ako, wala kang gagawin. Mag-walk out man ako sa iyo, hindi mo ako hahabulin. Umalis man ako sa buhay mo, hindi ka iiyak. Malulungkot siguro, pero hindi ka iiyak. Iba pa rin kasi nasa puso mo e. Hindi naman kita masisisi. Sabi mo nga, _"Love is short, forgetting is so long."_

Huwag kang mag-alala. Makakalimutan mo din siya. At ikaw, well, makakalimutan din siguro kita.

###############  
_*Insensitive from Jann Arden_

Author's Notes: Again, this story isn't mine. If ever the real author (sadly, I don't know who created this work of art) sees this, I am willing to take this down. I just wish to share this with anyone who wants to read it. ^_^ I hope you found enlightenment in this story, like I did when I was reading through it. Thank you very much and good day.


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